GREECE Flashcards
What seas surround Greece?
- the Aegean to the east
- Ionian to the west
- Libyan to the south of Crete
What does the term grand cru mean in the world of Greek wine?
Applies to certain sweet wines, made via the VDN process sourced from select vineyards of a given region, typically from higher elevation sites.
What is Mavroudi?
Generic term for unknown red grapes (mavro means black) but also the name of an indigenous variety
Describe the general climate of the Cyclades.
The hottest and driest conditions in Greece.. excaberated by relentless winds year round that can mess with fruit set in the spring and increase water stress. The Meltemi in the early fall can stall photosynthesis. **However challenging, the wind is considered essential to balancing the wines and extending the growing season.
So dry that the only source of water is often morning dew and fog
What event changed Thrace’s winemaking fortune?
Tsantali established an outpost in Thrace in the 1990s, providing investment in the area and also lobbying for the creation of a number of PGIs
What does Paleomenos se Vareli mean?
Greek term for PDO PGI and Varietal wines labelled with cava, reserve, or grande reserve - indicating extended oak aging beyond required minimums
Describe Agiorgitiko as a varietal.
ah-yohr-YEE-tee-koh
“St George’s Grape”: red; planted in various places, primarily in Attica and central Peloponnese. The sole variety allowed in the Nemea PDO. One of Greece’s best known varieties - tends to make wines that are deeply colored, full of soft plummy fruit tinged with spice/cocoa.. high acid/high tannin.
What does the term Grand/Grande Reserve apply to in the world of Greek wine? What are the requirements?
For PDO wines only; refers to a min. of oak aging.
Whites: 2 years oak w/ at least 1 in barrel and 6 in bottle. Cannot be aged in barrels larger than 600 liters.
Reds: 4 years age with at least 18 in barrel and 18 in bottle.
Describe Debina as a varietal
Important to Epirus- excels as a sparkling wine and in still forms in high-elevation Zitsa PDO. Drought sensitive. Makes wines that are elegant and refreshing, even if simple, with semi-aromatic noses of green apple and lemon. Low alcohol, generally high acid.
What is the Meltemi?
Greek wind regularly sweeping the Aegean - name loosely translate to “a year of bad weather”. Blows very dry air from the north typically between mid-May and late September. **especially profound affect on Santorini
- strong enough to interfere with tourism, as it can ground planes. Also interferes with photosynthesis as its strong enough to trigger the vine’s stomata to close
What PDO for dry reds is unique in mandating co-fermentation of a red and a white grape?
PDO Paros: min. 35% mandilaria with the balance being monemvasia
Describe Liatiko as a varietal
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Indigenous to Crete. Red; early ripener. Low in tannin and color. Medium acidity w/ pronounced floral aromatics. Notable in Daphnes (flies solo) and in Sitia (blended with Mandilaria).
What does the term asproudi refer to?
In the world of greek wine, a generic term for unknown white grapes.
Describe Athiri as a varietal.
Likely native to Santorini - neutral variety. Widely planted thanks to its drought resistance and ability to provide quality at high crop levels. Medium acid, alcohol, floral and citrus but also neutral toned.
Notable PDOs: Slopes of Meliton, Santorini, Rhodes
Where is Nemea PDO and what is it known for?
Nemea is in the Corinth district, NE corner of the Peloponnese. Large PDO with 17 villages, divided into 3 distinct zones based on altitude. Agioritiko is the main grape and blends with intl varieties, especially cab sauv, are popular
Where is the producer Papagiannakos located and what are they known for?
Papagiannakos is based in Attica, a region known for Retsina and mass production. They have shown the heights of what is possible for both Attica and Savatiano, by focusing on old vines and top shelf techniques. He produces varietal Savatiano that is compelling and age worthy as well as subtle interpretations of Retsina that challenge popular conceptions.
Describe Thrace’s climate.
Mediterranean but some inland areas are more continental. Cool northern winds are blocked by the Rodopi Mtns; warm wet air comes from the Aegean. Significant humidity - botrytis is a concern.
Where is the Drama region?
Macedonia. Forms the eastern border with Thrace - further inland with a continental climate. International varieties dominate here.
Where is Mount Ainos and to what PDO is it important to, and why.
Mount Ainos is the tallest mountain on Cephalonia - it is important to the Robola of Cephalonia PDO, where the finest wines come from the limestone-rich slopes from 400 to 800ft.
What is Nykteri?
Traditional Santorini wine - a full bodied, high alcohol, high acidity, and highly distinctive. The grapes are picked before dawn, pressed within a day and then aged in barrel for a min. 3 months. Sometimes a flor develops.
What does the term Reserve mean in the world of Greek wine?
For PDO wines only: min. oak aging.
Whites: 1 year with at least 6 months in barrel and 3 in btl
Reds: 2 years aging with min 12 in barrel and 6 in bottle
Describe Greece’s general terrain.
70% mountains - 3rd most mountainous country after Switzerland and Austria. There is very little flat terrain -the few existing plains are found in the regions of Thessaly, Sterea Ellada, Macedonia, and Thrace. There are very few lakes and almost no major rivers.
What are the legal requirements for Retsina?
- Can be made anywhere within 15 specific appellations having the right to be listed on the label.
- Must be made exclusively from Savatiano and Roditis
- Sap must come from Aleppo pine trees (pinus halepensis)
- resin must account for .15% to 1% of wine’s final volume
- cannot be labelled with a vintage
What are Achaia’s 4 PDOs? What are their respective grapes and wines?
Patras: 100% Roditis, dry white
Muscat of Patras: 100% Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains
Muscat of Rio Patras: 100% Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains
Mavrodaphne of Patras: min 51% mavrodaphne + corinthiaki. Sweet, fortified port-like wines
Achaia PGI - where is it, what is it
District PGI - North of Arcadia, west of Corinth.. forms the northernmost coast of the Peloponnese. Wine and raisins are both prevalent. Some of the steepest slopes in Greece are here. Home to Patras the city and the 4 PDOs of Patras.
Where is PDO Daphnes? What styles of wine are made here?
On the island of Crete, in the Iraklion sector. Dry and sweet wines from 100% Liatiko. Sweet wines can be made via fortification or air drying.
Describe the climate of the Peloponnese.
The very center is continental, but the rest is considered hot Mediterranean. Elevation and proximity to the coast mitigate heat. Rainfall is highest in the west while conditions in the east are arid.
Describe Muscat Blanc’s place in Greek wine.
Thought to originate in Greece. Very very ancient vine. Possibly the oldest vinifera still cultivated today. Thanks to long lineage and mutable nature, there is a whole family of offspring and clones. Muscat Blanc here refers to Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains. Its the finer Muscat with smaller berries and more complex aromas. Only appears in dessert wine PDOs - Muscat of Cephalonia, Muscat of Patras, Muscat of Rhodes, Muscat of Rio Patras, Samos.
What is unique about viticulture on Rhodes?
Rhodes is the largest of the Dodacanese - it is hot and dry but is unique in its access to freshwater reserves that can be used for irrigation.
Rhodes was also known for years as a supplier of “Greek Champagne”
What is Megas Oenos?
A blend of Agioritiko and Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new french oak… by Skouras that played a major role in modernizing Nemea, from the mid-1980s on
What year did Greece gain its independence?
What year did Greece join the EU?
1832
1981
Describe Vidiano as a varietal.
Native to Crete. Not quantitatively significant but is possibly one of the island’s finest whites. Strong ability to retain acid in extreme heat.
What seas lie on either side of Crete?
The Aegean and the Libyan
Where is PDO Archanes? What styles of wine are made here?
Archanes is in the Iraklion sector of Crete. Dry reds from Kotsifali and Mandilaria.
Describe Santorini’s soils.
Almost no clay - phylloxera-free like the rest of the Cyclades. So volcanic and poor with almost no organic matter… even olive trees cannot survive. Much of the soil is tinted black with volcanic basalt over metamorphosed limestone and schist
Describe Robola as a varietal.
“Assyrtiko’s little brother”
Important in the Ionian islands and is at its best on Cephalonia where it makes a crisp, refreshing dry wine.
Naturally high in acid, medium to high alcohol, mineral tone, neutral lemony nose. Not related to Ribolla Gialla.
What are the two PGIs for traditional Greek styles?
Retsina
Verdea - an oxidized white from Ionian island Kakynthos
What company was the first to bottle wine in Greece?
Boutari, founded 1879 in Naoussa
Where is Koutsi and why is it significant?
Koutsi is a “cru” of Nemea.. its a limestone-rich region that sits at around 650M. It is the headquarters of Gaia.
Where are the indigenous grapes Tsaousi and Moschatella planted?
The island of Cephalonia
When was the first Greek co-op established and what is its significance?
1934 on Samos - established by the government to absorb excess crops. At this time, quantity ruled over quality and people were just trying to get by through a series of armed conflicts and phylloxera.
Where are Anchialos and Messenikola?
PDOs of Thessaly
Anchialos is rarely seen on the market - 80% Roditis/20% Savatiano
Messenikola is the 2nd Greek PDO to authorize international varietals.. Mavro Messenikola w/ max 30% Carignan/Syrah
What is Verdea and where is it made?
Verdea is one of Greece’s two traditional PGIs, besides Retsina. It is made on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionians. An oxidative white that has been produced since the 19th century, of the grapes Skiadopoulo + Pavlos, Robola, Goustolidi and other native varietals
What and where is the Mount Athos Vineyard?
On the “furthest north finger” protruding from Macedonia - defined as an Area PGI
- 70ha vineyard; fruit divided between monk-owned Mylopotamos and Tsantali
- 720 to 820ft on sandy clay loam; half planted to cab sauv the rest to varietals of the area + grenache, chard
- famous for its beauty and mysticism, over a dozen monasteries on the peninsula. Import to the Eastern Orthodox church. No women allowed to walk the vines.
What percentage of Greek wine is PDO?
As of 2015/2016, only 19.62% is PDO. 48.69% is white.
What grape and place does the Tsilego clone belong to?
Mavrodaphne on the island of Cephalonia, used to make fortified sweet wines
PDO Robolo of Cephalonia - what is it, why is it important, what’s it like there
Elegant and refreshing dry whites from 100% Robola
Fragmented appellation occupying parts of the central and southern part of the island.
Vineyards must be at least 50M; the best wines come from 400 to 800M on the rocky, limestone rich slopes of Mount Ainos
What is Mavrodaphne’s two important PDOs for dessert-style wines? What is its allowed blending partner in those?
Mavrodaphne of Patras and Mavrodaphne of Cephalonia. Blended with Corinthiaki (vitis vinifera commonly used to make raisins)
Where is Paros and what are the main varieties and styles of wine here?
The center of the Cyclades.. hot and dry, but more sheltered than Santorini and its other neighbors.
Main variiertes: Mandilaria, Monemvasia, Assyrtiko, Savatiano
What grapes are common to the Evia PGI?
Evia’s varietals are where Central Greece and the Aegean Islands meet.
Central Greece varieties: Savatiano dominates, with Roditis, Malagousia, Agiorgitiko, and the regular intl guys
the Aegean mainstays: Assyrtiko, Mandilaria, and Liatiko. Vradiano is local but not significantly planted.
What are the requirements of the Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO?
- Min. 51% Monemvasia with the balance composed of Assyrtiko, Asproudes, and Kydonitsa.
- The grapes must be dried; fortification is optional.
- At least 2 years in barrel
- Can be single vintage or a blend of vintages, in which the most recent vintage is labelled
What is Domaine Porto Carras’ historical significance?
Launched in 1970 with famed Bordeaux enologist Emile Peynaud as the consultant - major player in Greece’s move towards quality
What are the 4 PDOs of Macedonia?
Goumenissa
Amyntea
Slopes of Meliton
Naoussa
Describe Roditis as a varietal.
Second most widely planted grape in Greece - mostly bc of its role as a base wine for Retsina. Cultivated all over the mainland, especially in Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Thrace, and Macedonia. Pink skinned and vigorous, and neutral. Best expression comes from Patras.
How many PDOs does Greece have?
33
What is backstory of the Monemvasia-Malvasia PDO? Why are both names used and hyphenated?
There was a port town named Monemvasia, that gave name to a widely traded/famous sweet wine in the 13th Century. There was also the grape Monemvasia, which could have been used in the blend. The Venetians renamed the port and the town Malvasia; the name Malvasia became so synonymous with dessert wine that Crete even started making its own Malvasia. none of this has anything to do with the actual grape Malvasia. When the region won its bid to become PDO in 2010, the govt linked both names.
